


Don't Look Back

by marchtwentyfour



Category: GOT7
Genre: Angst, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:02:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6037249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marchtwentyfour/pseuds/marchtwentyfour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes they meet at the start (end?). Sometimes they meet in the middle. Sometimes they meet at the end (start?).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Look Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myturntocry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myturntocry/gifts).



> HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CY (@_bartbum) MY BESTEST FRIEND AND BEST JAEBUM STAN EVER!!!! i hope you like this crappy fic
> 
> ps: unbeta'd considering as the birthday girl _is_ my beta.

_ Sometimes they meet at the start (end?). _

It’s quite funny, Mark thinks, as he stares at the man before him. He couldn’t believe that as Mark stands there, as he clutches on the gun on his hand, the look on the man’s eyes in front of him were as cold and passive as before. He can’t feel how his body was shaking because all his senses were zoned on in one thing--rather, on  _ one  _ person.

“Mark ssi, you don’t have to--” The floor where Jaebum stood was still shaking and he turned to look at Mark with obvious worry in his eyes. “You don’t have to do this. We’re Time Travelers, we can do something--”

But Mark can only focus on the way Jaebum wouldn’t even come near him, wouldn’t even hold Mark’s hand as his clutch on the gun almost slipped. “You’re not my Im Jaebum,” he spoke, words soft and could almost be missed. “You’re not him.”

Jaebum looked torn. “I’m sorry I’m not him.”  _ Yet.  _

“But you will be,” Mark spoke again, more determined this time. Because even though Jaebum has no idea who he was, has no idea about Mark’s existence and has no idea about all their memories together, Jaebum  _ will _ . In Jaebum’s future and in Mark’s past, they will make these memories again.

“I will, but not… not right now--” Jaebum probably saw him, saw the way Mark had raised the gun. “NO! NO YOU CAN’T DO THAT! ARE YOU AN IDIOT? DON’T!”

Mark smiles a little, his teeth flashing barely. This was the first time Jaebum had reacted the way  _ his  _ Jaebum does, the way Jaebum screams at him and calls him an idiot. It almost feels like he was with him and not with the stranger in front of him who only has his face. But Time was ticking, it was either Mark do this now and the both of them could lose their lives… that was something he would  _ never  _ let happen.

“I’M NOT WORTH IT! I’M NOT!” Jaebum had seen the boy’s hand slowly raising up and when the floor moved again, stronger and shakier, he snapped his eyes to see that Mark was holding the gun to his head now. “PUT THAT DOWN, SIR! WE’LL FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS! JUST! PUT THAT DOWN!”

When Mark didn’t answer and just stayed rooted on his spot, eyes trained on Jaebum as if memorizing his features (he probably was), Jaebum couldn’t help the tears. He couldn’t help but feel like this was unfair. How could this be so unfair when he doesn’t even have any idea who this boy was? How could the other man care for him when Jaebum doesn’t even know him  _ yet _ ?

So in a softer voice, Jaebum whispered, “I’m not worth it.”

“Not right now, no.” Mark agreed, had heard what Jaebum had whispered and just flashed him a smile, slightly bigger this time. “But you will be worth it, Jaebum.” Then he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger, the sound resounding throughout the whole building.

Jaebum paled as he ran to the man a second too late, the floor beneath him giving in and almost breaking apart under his feet. But Jaebum was too late, still too late because as he clutched Mark’s bleeding form on his arms, there was no single pulse beating.

Time around them never stopped and the battle was raging, the sacrifice Mark had to give in order to save him unfulfilled the longer Jaebum stayed. Yet Jaebum couldn’t even move, couldn’t even  _ think  _ about moving.

Jaebum wonders when he’ll see Mark next.

*

Who said Time was linear? Who said Time moves in only one way? Because Time wasn’t and didn’t, it’s a complete mess as it continues to move in different directions around different people. Most circumstances Time is nicer, takes pity and lets two people walk the same path together from start till the end. But there are times when it becomes selfish, when Time wants to watch a heartbreak happen right from the moment two people’s eyes lock on each other.

Time Travelers don’t move in tandem, doesn’t walk the same path as any other normal people does. Time Travelers don’t control Time, rather they let it bring them to some place else and some other time. Then sometimes,  _ sometimes  _ Time messes with them.

*

_ Sometimes they meet in the middle. _

“Jaebum hyung!”

Mark turns around in a flash, the name like a magnet to his attention. He scans the crowd, New Year’s Eve of year 3024 was a huge event and almost a lot of people were outside of their homes. People walking by and people running about, Mark had to twist his body and narrow his eyes to make out the faces in front of him.

“Jaebum hyung! Come here!”

Turning around so fast, Mark felt like he almost broke his neck as he sees him this time. Just a few feet away from him, bundled in a blue scarf and head covered by a white beanie. He looked cold, hands stuffed inside his jean’s pocket. The smile on Mark’s lips widens as he moves forward until they were just a few steps away from each other.

“Jaebum hyung!”

But Jaebum ignores whoever was calling him when he caught sight of Mark, thoroughly bundled in a warm scarf that covers his whole neck and cap covered recently dyed red hair. They smile at each other, heads turned to the side in greetings.

Jaebum was the first to speak, “Hi.” His voice was soft, words seen rather than heard in this crowd.

Mark’s eyes watered a little, “Hello.”

It took them a few more seconds before they were both moving towards each other, weaving through the few people in front of them because no one else mattered but the two of them. It was a little weird, the way Jaebum had clutched to him hard and never letting go. It wasn’t like they weren’t going to see each other again right?

“Thank you,” Jaebum whispered.

(But in their history, they never know.)

Mark doesn’t answer because he’s heard Jaebum say this a couple of times, whenever they see each other by chance.  _ Thank you for seeing you again _ , Jaebum had told him one time. The meaning of it, Jaebum had said, Mark will understand someday. 

Hands clasped with each other, they welcomed the year 3024 together and stayed side by side with their bodies pressed close until they can’t anymore. Both for completely different reasons yet… almost exactly the same.

*

In the history of Time, there were only two people that met in such a circumstance that they could never have the ending they would’ve wanted to have. Because Mark Tuan and Im Jaebum met at each other’s ends at each other’s starting point.

The more Mark Tuan know about Im Jaebum, the less Im Jaebum knows about Mark Tuan. And the more Im Jaebum knows about Mark Tuan, the less Mark Tuan knows about Im Jaebum.

Where would they have started? Where do they really end? Only Time can tell.

*

_ Sometimes they meet in the end (start?). _

Mark stepped foot in the old building, dust flying everywhere as he looked around the place. Being a new Time Traveler, he was given a fairly easy task. Or as easy as it could be, being someone from the Future travelling to a past where even his great grandparents weren’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eyes.

“I’m putting you in the hands of your Senior in this mission. He would be expecting you, so make sure to follow everything he tells you.” His Team Leader told him sternly. “He asked specifically for you, who knows why.” The obvious disapproving tone tells Mark that he doesn’t approve newbies like him tackling in a really important mission immediately after graduating.

Mark swallows, suddenly more nervous than before. This Senior had asked for him? Just having finished his training, Mark didn’t know anyone already in the troops. The nerves has him clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth and all the lessons he learned in the academy just making a huge mess in his head.

“Now get out.”

So Mark had and now he was inside, the mission’s details ingrained in his brain at the numerous of times he had read it from front to back. There was a man by the corner, almost the same height as he was and wearing the same navy blue uniform, he figured it was his Senior so he walked by the other’s side and bowed his head.

“Hello, sir. I’m Mark Tuan.” He spoke, head bowed and when he looked up he saw his Senior smiling at him. The man in front of him with his shaggy black hair, eyes that almost disappears at the way his smile was so wide.

“Mark…” The man said and there was something about the way he was looking at him, as if he was expecting  _ something _ from him. Except, Mark doesn’t know and the longer that Mark stayed rooted on the spot, the longer Mark looked at the man with questions in his eyes, the more the smile falls and falls and  _ falls _ . “You… don’t know who I am?”

What was Mark supposed to? Did he have this man as his instructor in the academy? Was he an old acquaintance? Mark had thought long and through, but the more time they spent in limbo the more it becomes unsafe. And he really can’t remember because he was pretty sure the man in front of him was not someone he could easily forget.

“Uh, I’m sorry sir but… I don’t think we’ve met before?” Mark said with hesitation. “Or maybe we did? I mean, Time Travelers and all… we probably haven’t met yet in my timeline and--”

“Mark.” His stuttering was cut off with the way the man looked at him sadly and almost… afraid. “You… don’t know who I am? Right? None at all?”

Before Mark could answer, before he could ask anything, there was a large explosion from the West Wing. They both looked at each other in panic before running off there. Mark avoids a debris falling as he sneaks a peak at the man running alongside him.

_ Who is he to me?  _ Mark asks himself numerous of times as they reached their destination with the man barking orders at him over and over. Mark tries really hard to follow, knowing that one single mistake could--

“MARK!” Mark turns just in time to see the man push him away as he falls on the floor, his elbows hitting the hard concrete before any other part of his body. He looks up just to see the ceiling collapse on the man’s form and crush him, panic rising in his throat.

It felt unreal, almost as if Mark was dreaming as he tried to gather his wits to stand up properly. He tried to go over there and try to help, but their mission called for him to finish it. So he calls for backup, tells them about the man that saved his life. Then he runs away, preparing to battle in honor of his Senior.

Mark doesn’t think he’ll really ever forget that face.

 

“His name was Im Jaebum.” The Team Leader told him, voice grim and clipped. “He was one of our best.”

Mark tries not look back at the ruins he had just exited. He also tries not to remember  _ Im Jaebum  _ and the smiling face of the man that greeted him with such expectations. That means he’ll see him again soon, right?

Mark wonders when he’ll see Jaebum next.


End file.
